The Conglomerate: A Luxorious Tale (15 page)

             
“I’ll take this,” he said accepting the napkin from her, “but I don’t want this,” he said, sliding the money to her.”

             
Evan shot him a puzzled look.

             
“I’m good on that,” he nodded towards the money. “I’ll keep this,” Reza held up the napkin. “If it’s okay I’d like to get to know the real you this time around. I was really digging you before you beat me. I think that you were digging me too that’s why you didn’t let that nigga kill me.”

Chapter Six

              “Once again I would like to say thank you,” Joey said addressing The Luxe Group’s managerial staff and department supervisors from the head of a long glass rectangle table at the end of their bi-weekly conference meeting. “I really appreciate all of your hard work following the very unfortunate events that took place here the week before last.” Joey carefully chose her words, since Cee who was supposed to be on bereavement leave was sitting to her right. Joey had no clue that Cee would be in attendance when she prepared her notes for the meeting. Not wanting to be cruel or insensitive to her best friend, Joey refrained from mentioning that she was delighted that Luxe and The L Room hadn’t lost any bookings and were still scheduling future events.

             
“Those of you working the Penthouse event I’ll see you tonight and if there are no more issues that need to be addressed this meeting is here by adjourned.”

             
All of the employees came over to Cee greeting her with hugs, welcoming her back from her short two week break. After the room cleared out Joey asked Cee, “what in the hell are you doing here? I thought you were going to take at least a month off.”

             
“Joe if I don’t get out that house I’m going to lose it,” Cee twisted her face trying to stop the water, that was filling her eyes from escaping. “Everything reminds me of Petey. The only time I don't think of him so much is when I’m working.”

On the verge of tears
, Joey managed to crack a smile at Cee, “Well since you so hell bent on working can you tighten me up with a roller set and a blow out for tonight?” she raised her eyebrows hoping to lighten Cee’s mood.

             
“Yeah girl,” Cee forced a weak smile. “Come on before my next client get here.”

             
On the walk over to the spa the best friends chatted about small things, mostly pertaining to Luxe and Luxurious along with things that occurred in Cee’s absence. Joey led the conversation keeping it light in attempt to keep Cee’s mind off of Petey. Joey received a personal shampoo from Cee instead of one of Cee’s three assistants, a perk of beings Cee’s bestie and business partner. While rolling Joey’s hair Cee asked,               “Where’s Evan? Why wasn’t she at the meeting?”

             
“She had to go out of town to take care of a few things; I think she’ll be back tonight or first thing in the morning.”

             
“Oh, where did she go?”

             
“Ummm,” Joey stammered, “I think New York.”

             
“What was up with you two at the repast? You were throwing a nice bit of shade at Ev.”

             
“Girl you know how Evan can be,” Joey lied. “She was doing stuff to piss me off all week and by the time we got to the repast I’d had enough of her.” Joey was not about to unload all of Evan’s bullshit onto Cee.

             
“Yeah if anyone knows how that Evan can be it’s me,” Cee said placing the clip in the last roller. She pulled off Joey’s plastic styling cape and replaced with a cloth one.               “Go get under the dryer,” Cee spun the styling chair around and pointed her finger at Joey. “And don’t you come out until you are all the way dry. Suddenly Cee’s face twitched involuntarily. It was very noticeable.

             
Joey jumped out the chair. “Are you okay?”

             
“I’m fine that’s just a side effect from the nerve pills my doctor prescribed me. He said that it will pass, especially since he lowered my dosage.”

             
“You scared me for a minute.” Joey picked up her purse and headed for the dryer room.

             
Cee closed the door to her private styling suite and locked it. She pulled a small YSL compact mirror from her purse. She opened the compact and retrieved a small clear blue baggie filled with 2 grams of cocaine. Laying the open compact flat on her styling station she poured a tiny pile of powder onto the compacts mirror. Using a straight razor she raked and separated the powder in to three lines. Hovering over the mirror, she held her left nostril down with her left index finger, and with a tightly rolled one hundred dollar bill inserted in her right nostril, she vacuumed the three lines up swiftly. This self-prescribed medication was all that she needed in the days following Petey’s death. Her decision to self-medicate wasn’t intentional. While gathering Petey’s clothing for him to be buried in she’d come across a vial of cocaine in his sock drawer. When he was alive, they would dabble in coke a little every now and then to enhance their sex life— neither had an addiction or problems stemming from their infrequent use.

             
Now that Petey was gone, Cee found that cocaine gave her the pick-me-up that she needed to get through the day. She told herself time and time again,
I won’t get hooked
. A foolish notion that she and so many before her had fallen victim to. Putting everything back in its place, Cee looked in the mirror, and checked her nose for any traces of residue. Satisfied with her appearance and feeling good she opened her door and invited her next client in.

***

              Zay watched from an office window as ten commercial box trucks left an appliance warehouse across the street. Each truck carried various appliances such as washers, dryers, refrigerators, and dishwashers. The interior of the appliances were lined with kilos of heroine. Those trucks plus five that had left earlier in the day were all headed to multiple cities in different states to distribute the work. Once the last truck was out of sight, he let out a small sigh of relief. He hadn’t been this nervous or paranoid about a shipment since the first time he’d gotten a big shipment from Asaad five years earlier. The heightened sense of nervousness could be attributed to his anticipation of getting out of the heroine trade and his brothers coming home after eighteen years in prison in matter of weeks. Late for an important brunch, Zay rushed out the building and drove to his mother’s house.

             
Jason and Zay pulled up to their mother’s Dilworth ranch style brick home at the same time.

             
“What up bruh?” Jason dapped Zay and embraced him tightly in the middle of their mother’s immaculately manicured yard.

             
“Not shit, just got back from making sure the trucks went off without any problems. Everything good with the spots around here?”

             
“Oh yeah,” Jason assured nodding. “I was done stocking them before nine.”

             
Zay rang the bell, although both brothers had keys to their mother’s home. Dorenda answered the door with a wide warm welcoming smile that could always be expected. She was a timeless beauty, with a slender build, smooth cappuccino skin, and caramel dyed hair. Dressed casually, but elegantly, she donned a cream V-neck knit three quarter length sweater, cream silk slacks, and a few pieces of subtle fine gold jewelry that her sons had gotten her over the years. As they entered she hugged both of them tightly and kissed their cheeks.

“Where’s my girl?” Dore
nda asked Zay shutting the door.

             
“I don’t think Joey is going to make it Ma, she’s has one those membership drive things at the Penthouse tonight.”

             
“She’s been so busy; the only time I get to see her is when she’s picking up the kids. I thought we’d get to catch up today.”

             
“I know Ma, she wanted to come too.” he fibbed. Zay knew that his wife wasn’t there because she was still upset over the text message and she preferred not to be in his presence more than she had to be.

             
“Daddy Daddy!” They heard children voices as six kids rushed the living room. It was Zay’s four kids along with Jason’s two daughters, Keeba who was twelve and Mariah who was ten. Joey and Zay’s kids were there for spring break, while Jason’s daughters were permanent residences. Dorenda had taken the girls in when their mother became strung out on Oxytocin amongst other prescription and designer pills.

             
Relishing in their grandmother, Dorenda adored her grandbabies and during any holidays or school breaks she made sure that they were with her. “Okay boys, I have the table on the deck setup. The kids can go out and play, they’ve already eaten.”

The kids raced out the back
door and down onto the lush green grass over to the enormous swing, slide, and playhouse set. They had a private playground at grandma’s house.

             
The brothers took a seat at the table on the high deck overlooking the backyard. Beaming with fatherly pride they smiled as they watched their kids, both feeling that their kids were their greatest accomplishments. Dorinda Dorenda came out carrying a large round tray of hot platters. Jason jumped up and grabbed the heavy tray.

             
“Ma why didn’t you tell us to help you bring the food out?”

             
“Boy please, I have lunches and dinners out here all the time when y’all are not around and bring this same tray out,” she replied. Well known as stubbornly independent, Dorenda preferred to do things for herself. Even though her sons paid all of her bills, she started her own custom cake business specializing in wedding cakes from home ten years earlier. What started as a little side business grew by leaps and bounds in a few short years forcing Dorenda to lease a store front and employ bakers.

             
The constant mother, Dorenda prepared her sons’ plate, served them and then took her seat. Spreading a peach cloth napkin across her lap she asked, “So what was so important that I needed to whip up this brunch?”

             
“We got something special for you,” Jason cheesed from ear to ear.

             
“What did I tell you boys about buying me stuff? I have way more than I need already. If you wanna do something for me, donate to charity or the church in my name or your children names. Teach them about giving.”

             
“Calm down Ma,” Zay interrupted her respectfully with a light chuckle. He went into his back pocket and pulled out a medium sized white envelope wrapped in a magenta ribbon tied in a neat bow. He handed it to his mother.

             
“What is this?”

             
“Open it,” they replied simultaneously.

             
Dorenda opened the envelope, took out the folded papers, and read them. Her mouth fell wide open; she covered it with her free hand. Big juicy tears rolled down her face as she read the deed to her home. She’d used the money from the sale of her first home for the deposit on her current home. Zay promised Dorenda when she put the money down on her Dilworth home that he would pay her mortgage every month. Therefor the monthly statement came directly to him.